Configuring wireless devices for a wireless infrastructure network

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods permit a wireless device to receive data wirelessly via an infrastructure wireless network, without physically connecting the wireless device to a computer in order to configure it, and without having an existing infrastructure wireless network for the wireless device to connect to. A remote server hosts a website that permits a user of the wireless device to input via a computer credential data for at least one infrastructure wireless network. The content access point transmits the credential data for the at least one infrastructure wireless network to the wireless device via the ad hoc wireless network, such that, upon receipt of the credential data for the at least one infrastructure wireless network, the wireless device is configured to connect to the at least one infrastructure wireless network.

PRIORITY CLAIM

The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §120 to U.S.nonprovisional patent application Ser. No. 14/850,508, filed Sep. 10,2015, now U.S. Pat. No. ______, issued ______, which is a continuationof U.S. nonprovisional patent application Ser. No. 14/702,316, filed May1, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,185,168, issued Nov. 10, 2015, which is acontinuation of U.S. nonprovisional patent application Ser. No.13/832,719, filed Mar. 15, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,060,288, issuedJun. 16, 2015, both of which are incorporated herein by reference intheir entirety.

BACKGROUND

Wireless earphones that stream digital-audio content from sources areknown. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,190,203, which is incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety, describes a wireless earphone pairwhere each earphone is capable of receiving and playing digital-audiostreamed over ad-hoc or infrastructure Wi-Fi networks. This patent alsodescribes that the source of the digital-audio content could be awireless network adapter that plugs into an audio player (such as apersonal digital audio player (DAP)) and transmits the audio from theaudio player to the earphones via a Wi-Fi ad hoc network. Also, theearphones may connect to, and stream digital-audio content from, aremote server through the Internet via an infrastructure Wi-Fi network.

SUMMARY

In various embodiments, the present invention is directed to systems andmethods for configuring a wireless device to receive data wirelessly viaan infrastructure wireless network, without physically connecting thewireless device to a computer in order to configure it, and withouthaving a have an existing infrastructure wireless network for thewireless device to connect to. The wireless device could be for examplea wireless media player (such as an audio player or a video player), awireless controller for electronic equipment, or any device thatreceives wireless data.

According to various embodiments, a system according to the presentinvention comprises: the wireless device configured to receive datawirelessly; a content access point that communicates with the wirelessdevice via an ad hoc wireless network; a computer that is connectable tothe content access point; and a remote server in communication with thecomputer via a communications network (e.g., the Internet). The remoteserver hosts a website, accessible by the computer, through which a userof the wireless device inputs, via the computer, credential data for atleast one infrastructure wireless network, and the remote server storesthe credential data. Also, the content access point transmits thecredential data for the at least one infrastructure wireless network tothe wireless device via the ad hoc wireless network, such that, uponreceipt of the credential data for the at least one infrastructurewireless network, the wireless device is configured to connect to the atleast one infrastructure wireless network. That way, the wireless devicecan connect to the infrastructure wireless network without having tohave been plugged into the computer, and without having to have beenconnected to another, different infrastructure wireless network.

In another general aspect, the present invention is directed to a methodof configuring a wireless media player to communicate via aninfrastructure wireless network. In various implementations, the methodcomprises, prior to connecting the wireless media player to theinfrastructure wireless network, the steps of: storing an IP address forthe wireless media player in a non-volatile memory of a separate contentaccess point device; connecting the content access point device to acomputer that is configured to communicate with a remote server via theInternet; uploading the IP address for the wireless media player storedin the non-volatile memory of the content access point device to theremote server from the computer and the Internet; receiving by theremote server credential data for the infrastructure wireless networkfrom a user; and transmitting, by the content access point, thecredential data for the infrastructure wireless network to the wirelessmedia player via an ad hoc wireless network between the content accesspoint device and the wireless media player. The inventive method furthercomprises, after the wireless media player receives the credential datafor the infrastructure wireless network from the content access pointdevice via the ad hoc wireless network, the step of the wireless mediaplayer connecting to the infrastructure wireless network using thereceived credential data for the infrastructure wireless network.

These and other benefits and aspects of the present invention aredescribed below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Various embodiments of the present invention are described herein by wayof example in conjunction with the following figures, wherein:

FIGS. 1, 4 and 5 are diagrams of systems according to variousembodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is simplified block diagram of the content access point accordingto various embodiments of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a flow chart depicting a process of a system according tovarious embodiments of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION

Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to systems andmethods for configuring a wireless device to communicate via aninfrastructure wireless network, such as an infrastructure Wi-Finetwork, without having to physically plug the wireless device into acomputer to configure it, and without having to have an existinginfrastructure wireless connection for the wireless device. In thedescription to follow, the wireless device is usually described as awireless audio player, e.g., a set of earphones, although it should berecognized that the present invention is not so limited. The wirelessdevice could be another type of media player, such as a wireless videoplayer, or another type of device that receives data wirelessly. Forexample, the wireless device could be a controller for electronicequipment, such as a controller for lighting systems, cameras,machinery, gaming equipment, etc., that receives control data via awireless communication link.

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a system 10 according to various embodiments ofthe present invention. The system 10 comprises an earphone set 12comprising a pair of earphones 14, one for each ear of a user. One orboth of the earphones 14 may communicate wirelessly with a contentaccess point (CAP) 16 via an ad hoc communication link 18, which ispreferably an ad hoc Wi-Fi link (e.g., IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n), although inother embodiments different wireless communication protocols may beused, such as WiMAX (IEEE 802.16), Bluetooth, Zigbee, UWB, etc. The adhoc communication link 18 is an ad hoc wireless network because it is apoint-to-point network (in this case, the CAP 16 to the wireless device14) that does not utilize preexisting infrastructure, such as wirelessaccess points. In such an ad hoc network, the devices (e.g., the CAP 16and the wireless device 14) may have equal status on the network.

The CAP 16 is connectable, through, for example, a wired connection, toa source of digital audio that stores and plays digital audio files,such as MP3, FLAC, etc. files. The source may be, as shown in FIG. 1, apersonal DAP 20 or a computer 22, for example, although in otherembodiments other media source devices may be used. The personal DAP 20may be a personal MP3 player, iPod, iPhone, etc., or any other personalelectronic device capable of storing and playing digital audio files.The computer 22 may be any suitable computer device, such as a personalcomputer, laptop computer, tablet computer, smart phone, etc., andpreferably has a browser to facilitate initializing the CAP 16 andearphones 14, as described further below. The CAP 16 may connect to theDAP 20 via a USB connector (not shown) that connects to a USB port(e.g., conventional, mini, and micro) of the CAP 16 and to an audio jackon the DAP 20, such as a 3.5 mm TRS or TRRS audio jack. The CAP 16 mayconnect to the computer 22 via a USB connection (not shown). As shown inFIG. 1, the earphones 14 may also connect to a wireless access point 24via a wireless infrastructure communication link 26, that is againpreferably a Wi-Fi link, although other wireless protocols could beused. The wireless infrastructure communication link 26 may be part ofan infrastructure wireless network because it utilizes a wireless accesspoint 24 and connects to an Internet service provider (e.g., a Wi-Fihotspot).

Both the computer 22 and the wireless access point 24 may be connectedto a communications network 28, which is preferably an electronic,packet-switched, data communications network, such as a TCP/IP network,such as the Internet. Numerous servers are connected to the Internet;one remote server system 30 is shown in FIG. 1. As described furtherbelow, a user may connect to the remote server system 30 to provision orinitialize the user's CAP 16 and earphones 14 for initial use, and tootherwise manage the CAP 16 and earphones 14. The remote server system30 may also stream digital audio content to the earphones 14 via theinfrastructure wireless network 26, although the earphones 14 may alsostream digital content from other servers connected to thecommunications network 28 once configured to communicate via theinfrastructure wireless network 26, as described below.

In FIG. 1, the earphone set 12 includes a headband 32 connecting theearphones 14. In such an embodiment, one earphone 14 may receive thewireless digital content and transmit it to the other earphone 14 forsynchronized playing via a wire that runs through the head band toconnect the earphones 14. In other embodiments, both earphones 14 mayreceive wirelessly and play synchronously the streaming digital content.In such an embodiment, a headband between the earphones is notnecessary. More details regarding such wireless earphone pairs aredescribed in the following patents and patent applications, which areincorporated herein by reference in their entirety: U.S. Pat. No.8,190,203; U.S. Pub. No. 2012/0230510 A1; and U.S. nonprovisionalapplication Ser. No. 13/441,476, filed Apr. 6, 2012, now Pub. No.2013/0266152. These patents and patent applications also includesimplified block diagrams of the earphones 14 according to variousembodiments. As disclosed in these patents and patent applications, theearphones 14 have one or more acoustic transducers for producing sound.

FIG. 2 is simplified block diagram of the CAP 16 according to variousembodiments of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the CAP 16 maycomprise a processor 40, a volatile memory 42, a nonvolatile memory 44,a RF (or radio or Wi-Fi) module 46 and a USB port 48 or other suitableexternal interface that allows the CAP 16 to connect to an externaldevice, such as the DAP 20 or the computer 22. The CAP 16 may alsoinclude a chargeable power source (not shown) for powering thecomponents of the CAP 16. The RF module 46 may handle radio/wirelesscommunications by the CAP 16. For example, the RF module 46 may allowthe CAP to communicate via a wireless communication protocol, preferablyWi-Fi, with the earphones 14 or the wireless access point 24. The memoryunits 42, 44 may store software instructions for execution by theprocessor 40 that control the function and operation of the CAP 16. Inaddition, in various embodiments, the earphones 14 and CAP 16 are partof a conjoined assembly, such that the CAP 16 is configured atmanufacture to know the identifiers for the earphones 14. That is, thenon-volatile memory 44 may store addresses (e.g., IP addresses) for theearphones 14.

In various embodiments, in order to initially operate the earphones 14(e.g., “out of the box”), the CAP 16 may be plugged into the desiredmedia device (e.g., the DAP 20 or the computer 22) as described above,which may power the CAP 16 and cause the CAP 16 to transmit (or stream)wirelessly the content output by the media device, which can be received(via the ad hoc wireless communication link 18) and played by theearphones 14 (assuming the earphones 14 are turned on), since the CAP 16is initially configured to store the addresses for the earphones 14, asdescribed above.

As described above, the earphones 14 can, when properly configured, alsoreceive wireless content via infrastructure networks. FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a process for setting up and customizing the channels andstreams for the earphones 14, including adding and managing wirelessnetworks (e.g., Wi-Fi hotspots) according to various embodiments. Atstep 60, the user (e.g., a user of the earphones 14), using theInternet-enabled computer 22 with a browser, logs into a websiteassociated with the earphones 14, hosted by the remote server(s) 30, andsets up an account (if the user does not already have one). At thewebsite the user can, for example, add Wi-Fi hotspots and specifycontent channels (e.g., Internet radio stations or other serversconnected to the Internet that serve content). To add a Wi-Fi hotspot atstep 62, the user may click (or otherwise activate) a link on thewebsite that indicates a desire to add a Wi-Fi hotspot. In variousembodiments, a JAVA applet from the website may be used by the computer22 to search for nearby Wi-Fi hotspots, which, upon detection, may bedisplayed for the user on the website. The user may then click on (orotherwise select) the desired Wi-Fi hotspot to add. If applicable, thewebsite may then prompt the user to enter a password and/or encryptiontype (e.g., WPA or WPA2) for the selected Wi-Fi hotspot. The SSID,password, and encryption type for the Wi-Fi hotspot is stored for theuser's account by the remote server(s) 30. This process could berepeated as necessary to add as many Wi-Fi hotspots as desired by theuser.

Next, at step 64, a user device, e.g., the earphone set 12, may be addedto the user's account. The user may do this, according to variousembodiments, by plugging the CAP 16 into the computer 22. Using a JAVAapplet, for example, the IDs for the CAP 16, as well as the IDs for theearphones 14, stored in the non-volatile memory 44 of the CAP 16, areuploaded to the remote server(s) 30 and stored at the remote server(s)30 as part of the user's account information. Next, at step 66, the usermay update the earphones 14 with the Wi-Fi hotspot credentials (e.g.,SSID, password if one is used for the hotspot, and/or encryption type).The user may do this by clicking on or otherwise selecting a link on thewebsite to update the earphones 14. Upon clicking the link, the CAP 16transmits the credentials (e.g., SSID, password, encryption type) foreach of the added Wi-Fi hotspots to the earphones 14, via the ad hocwireless communication link 18. This process allows the earphones 14 tobe configured for infrastructure network (and Internet) access withouthaving to physically connect the earphones 14 to the computer 22 toconfigure them and without having an existing, different infrastructurenetwork that the earphones 14 need to connect to.

The user may also set up channels for the earphones 14 at step 68through the website. The user may do this by clicking on or otherwiseselecting a link or option provided by the website to add channels. Thechannels may be digital content streams, such as digital audio. Theremote server(s) 30 may host a number of such content streams that theuser could select via the website. These selections may be stored by theremote server(s) 30 as part of the user's account information. Also, theuser could enter an address for a channel(s), associated with anotherserver(s) connected to the network 28, such as the URL for channel'sserver. These addresses may also be stored by the remote server(s) 30 aspart of the user's account information.

The earphones 14 may have one or more multi-function user controls(e.g., buttons, touch interfaces, etc.) and indicators (e.g., LEDs) thatallow the user to select and transition through various modes ofoperation. For example, using the user control(s) of the earphones 14,the user could select an ad hoc mode, whereby the earphones stream andplay content from the CAP 16 (and hence the device to which the CAP 16is connected, such as the DAP 20 or the computer 22). Also, the usercould select the infrastructure (e.g., Wi-Fi) mode using the usercontrol(s) in order to stream content via Wi-Fi hotspot. The user mayalso cycle through or otherwise select the desired channel (stored instep 68) using the user-control.

It should be noted that the some steps of FIG. 3 could be performed indifferent orders than as shown in FIG. 3. For example, the user'schannels could be set up before the Wi-Fi hotspots are added or beforethe user's earphones 14 are added. However, the earphones 14 could notbe updated with the Wi-Fi hotspot credentials (step 66) until the Wi-Fihotspot(s) and earphones are added (steps 62 and 64).

Although the above embodiments were described in the context of wirelessearphones for receiving and playing digital audio content, in otherembodiments different types of the digital content could be streamed tothe wireless device in a similar manner. For example, instead ofearphones, a video player 80, as shown in FIG. 4 could be used instead.The video player 80 may be any video player capable of receiving andplaying received digital video content, such as MPEG video, for example.The video player 80 may stream the video content from the CAP 16 (andhence the media source connected to the CAP 16) via the ad hoc wirelesscommunication link 18 or via the infrastructure wireless communicationlink 26, as described above. Also, the video player 80 could beconfigured with the Wi-Fi hotspot credentials as described above inconnection with FIG. 3.

Similarly, as shown in FIG. 5, the wireless device could be a controller82 that controls the operation and/or function of electronic equipment84, such as lighting system(s), camera(s), manufacturing equipment,medical device(s), gaming systems, or any other suitable controllableelectronic equipment. The controller 82 may receive control data viaeither the ad hoc or infrastructure wireless networks, depending onwhich mode the controller 82 is in. As described above, the controller82 may be configured to connect to the infrastructure wireless network26 by receiving the credential data for the infrastructure wirelessnetwork 26 via the ad hoc wireless network 18.

In one general aspect, the present invention is directed to a systemthat comprises: the wireless device configured to receive datawirelessly; a content access point that communicates with the wirelessdevice via an ad hoc wireless network; a computer that is connectable tothe content access point; and a remote server in communication with thecomputer via a communications network. The remote server hosts a website accessible by the computer. The website permits a user of thewireless device to input via the computer credential data for at leastone infrastructure wireless network, and the remote server stores thecredential data for the at least one infrastructure wireless network.Also, the content access point transmits the credential data for the atleast one infrastructure wireless network to the wireless device via thead hoc wireless network, such that, upon receipt of the credential datafor the at least one infrastructure wireless network, the wirelessdevice is configured to connect to the at least one infrastructurewireless network.

In various implementations, the wireless device comprises a wirelessmedia player, such as an audio player or a video player. The wirelessmedia player may be configured to receive and play digital media datareceived via the ad hoc wireless network when in a first mode (an ad hocmode), and is configured to receive and play digital media data receivedvia the infrastructure wireless network when in a second mode (aninfrastructure mode). In other embodiments, the wireless device maycomprise a wireless controller that controls electronic equipment. Thewireless controller may be configured to receive digital control datareceived via the ad hoc wireless network when in a first mode (an ad hocmode), and is configured to receive digital control data received viathe infrastructure wireless network when in a second mode (aninfrastructure mode). In various embodiments, the ad hoc wirelessnetwork comprises an ad hoc Wi-Fi network, and the infrastructurewireless network comprises an infrastructure Wi-Fi network. Thecredential data for the at least one infrastructure wireless network maycomprise: an identifier for the at least one infrastructure wirelessnetwork; a password for the at least one infrastructure wirelessnetwork; and/or encryption type data for the at least one infrastructurewireless network.

It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that at leastsome of the embodiments described herein may be implemented in manydifferent embodiments of software, firmware, and/or hardware. Thesoftware and firmware code may be executed by a processor circuit or anyother similar computing device. The software code or specialized controlhardware that may be used to implement embodiments is not limiting. Forexample, embodiments described herein may be implemented in computersoftware using any suitable computer software language type, using, forexample, conventional or object-oriented techniques. Such software maybe stored on any type of suitable computer-readable medium or media,such as, for example, a magnetic or optical storage medium. Theoperation and behavior of the embodiments may be described withoutspecific reference to specific software code or specialized hardwarecomponents. The absence of such specific references is feasible, becauseit is clearly understood that artisans of ordinary skill would be ableto design software and control hardware to implement the embodimentsbased on the present description with no more than reasonable effort andwithout undue experimentation.

Moreover, the processes associated with the present embodiments may beexecuted by programmable equipment, such as computers or computersystems and/or processors. Software that may cause programmableequipment to execute processes may be stored in any storage device, suchas, for example, a computer system (nonvolatile) memory, an opticaldisk, magnetic tape, or magnetic disk. Furthermore, at least some of theprocesses may be programmed when the computer system is manufactured orstored on various types of computer-readable media.

It can also be appreciated that certain process aspects described hereinmay be performed using instructions stored on a computer-readable mediumor media that direct a computer system to perform the process steps. Acomputer-readable medium may include, for example, memory devices suchas diskettes, compact discs (CDs), digital versatile discs (DVDs),optical disk drives, or hard disk drives. A computer-readable medium mayalso include memory storage that is physical, virtual, permanent,temporary, semipermanent, and/or semitemporary.

A “computer,” “computer system,” “host,” “server,” or “processor” maybe, for example and without limitation, a processor, microcomputer,minicomputer, server, mainframe, laptop, personal data assistant (PDA),wireless e-mail device, cellular phone, pager, processor, fax machine,scanner, or any other programmable device configured to transmit and/orreceive data over a network. Computer systems and computer-based devicesdisclosed herein may include memory for storing certain software modulesor engines used in obtaining, processing, and communicating information.It can be appreciated that such memory may be internal or external withrespect to operation of the disclosed embodiments. The memory may alsoinclude any means for storing software, including a hard disk, anoptical disk, floppy disk, ROM (read only memory), RAM (random accessmemory), PROM (programmable ROM), EEPROM (electrically erasable PROM)and/or other computer-readable media. The software modules and enginesdescribed herein can be executed by the processor (or processors as thecase may be) of the computer devices that access the memory storing themodules.

In various embodiments disclosed herein, a single component may bereplaced by multiple components and multiple components may be replacedby a single component to perform a given function or functions. Exceptwhere such substitution would not be operative, such substitution iswithin the intended scope of the embodiments. Any servers describedherein, for example, may be replaced by a “server farm” or othergrouping of networked servers (such as server blades) that are locatedand configured for cooperative functions. It can be appreciated that aserver farm may serve to distribute workload between/among individualcomponents of the farm and may expedite computing processes byharnessing the collective and cooperative power of multiple servers.Such server farms may employ load-balancing software that accomplishestasks such as, for example, tracking demand for processing power fromdifferent machines, prioritizing and scheduling tasks based on networkdemand and/or providing backup contingency in the event of componentfailure or reduction in operability.

The computer systems may comprise one or more processors incommunication with memory (e.g., RAM or ROM) via one or more data buses.The data buses may carry electrical signals between the processor(s) andthe memory. The processor and the memory may comprise electricalcircuits that conduct electrical current. Charge states of variouscomponents of the circuits, such as solid state transistors of theprocessor(s) and/or memory circuit(s), may change during operation ofthe circuits.

While various embodiments have been described herein, it should beapparent that various modifications, alterations, and adaptations tothose embodiments may occur to persons skilled in the art withattainment of at least some of the advantages. The disclosed embodimentsare therefore intended to include all such modifications, alterations,and adaptations without departing from the scope of the embodiments asset forth herein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system comprising: a wireless device configured to receive data wirelessly; a content access point that communicates with the wireless device via an ad hoc wireless network; a computer that is connectable to the content access point; and a remote server in communication with the computer via a communications network, wherein: the remote server hosts a website accessible by the computer; the website permits a user of the wireless device to input via the computer credential data for at least one infrastructure wireless network; the remote server stores the credential data for the at least one infrastructure wireless network; and the content access point transmits the credential data for the at least one infrastructure wireless network to the wireless device via the ad hoc wireless network, such that, upon receipt of the credential data for the at least one infrastructure wireless network, the wireless device is configured to connect to the at least one infrastructure wireless network. 